Now that you're reborn, who would still keep a mistress for their scumbag husband?

After the meal started, Dou Jinzhao was still the hot topic of discussion.

She sat motionless in her seat, occasionally moving her chopsticks. When someone spoke to her, she would politely reply, with no smile in her eyes, looking gentle yet distant.

However, Lu Changyuan returned to Beijing after making great achievements, and the emperor held a grand banquet to welcome him, which was extremely glorious.

Many people came up to him, and he never let go of the wine glass. No matter who toasted him, he would accept it, or at least touch the toast with his lips, being dignified and polite.

The officials' wives left first, and Dou Jinzhao escorted the queen back to the palace.

She was in poor health and had been sickly for many years. She leaned on the sedan chair and asked, "Why didn't you come to the palace together today? Did Chang Yuan make you angry?"

"No."

Dou Jinzhao didn't know how to answer the previous question. If the Queen hadn't mentioned it today, she wouldn't have known that Lu Changyuan had returned to Beijing three days ago.

"When you got married, Xiliang happened to invade the border. It was an emergency. The emperor issued an order, and he couldn't take care of you and went to the border overnight. This time when he comes back, I will ask him to compensate you."

Dou Jinzhao didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "If the Queen's words were to get out, would Zhaozhao still have any reputation? The Duke fought for the country, and even if Zhaozhao was ignorant, she wouldn't get petty with the Duke over this matter."

"I heard that the woman Chang Yuan brought into the palace today was the second daughter of the Dou family, your twin sister?"

Dou Jinzhao heard the reproach in the Queen's tone. She was silent for a while, suppressed her resentment, and said, "Yes! I was disrespectful at the palace banquet today."

"Although Changyuan did something wrong, we should not lose face. Moreover, they are all girls from your Dou family. How can we make such a fuss? Do we still want to keep Changyuan's reputation? Husband and wife are one. I know you are well-educated and sensible. Such things must not happen again in the future."

"Yes!" Dou Jinzhao closed his eyes.

The queen waved her hand and ordered the aunt in charge to personally escort her out of the palace.

In front of the Right Silver Stage, Lu Changyuan stood tall and straight under the light. He walked over to thank the housekeeper, and his eyes fell gently on Dou Jinzhao's face, "Let's go, it's time to go back!"

His voice was soft, and his tone was ordinary and calm, just as if countless times before, she had come out of the Queen's Palace, and he was waiting for her here and would send her home.

The carriage was driving on a wide road. Lu Changyuan did not ride a horse. He and Dou Jinzhao sat on both sides of the carriage. There was enough space for two fat men in the middle.

One faced east, the other faced west, and neither of them spoke for a full quarter of an hour.

"I met Miao Jin when I was in Weizhou. I was about to return to Beijing, so I escorted her all the way back." Lu Changyuan's voice broke the dull silence in the carriage.

Dou Jinzhao just raised his eyelids and glanced at him without saying anything, then turned his face away, and the atmosphere became subtle.

Lu Changyuan cleared his throat and asked patiently, "How has life been at home this year?"

"all good!"

Dou Jinzhao slowly leaned back, closed his eyes, and looked like he didn't want to talk to anyone anymore.

His mother-in-law would write to him every month, and someone would report to him regularly about every detail of the affairs in the mansion. He should know how many times a month she went out, who she met and what she did each time. Why bother asking these questions?

Lu Changyuan's gaze lingered on her face for a moment, then he turned away. He was silent for a moment, perhaps because he had lost his patience, and his voice became a little cold. "Are you angry that I brought Miao Jin into the palace today and gave her the things that my aunt gave me?"

finally come!

Dou Jinzhao taunted, "Does the Duke intend to take her as a concubine, or does he intend to let me, as her elder sister, give up the position of the principal wife to her?"

When he came back, he did not let anyone know in advance. She was probably the only one in the entire Duke's Mansion who did not know about his return. When he came back, everyone in the capital knew about it, but she, the wife of the Duke Dingguo, was the only one who did not know that her husband was back.

He also brought back his cousin.

Lu Changyuan was somewhat surprised by her reaction. "Jinzhao, it is inappropriate to say such things. Miaojin is your sister, and you don't even care about your sister's reputation? She must have suffered a lot when she was kidnapped to Weizhou this time. If you have time, you should go back to her parents' home to see her."

Kidnapping? Dou Miaojin had clearly eloped with someone and left the capital, going to Weizhou in order to go to Xiliang. Why did she come back at this time?

Dou Jinzhao was so angry that her whole body was shaking. In her past and present lives, when Dou Miaojin was having an affair with Lu Changyuan, had they ever thought of her as their sister?

She was born very beautiful, but now she looked pale and wanted to cry but couldn't, which made people feel pity for her.

Lu Changyuan also restrained his temper, "It's just a mandarin duck bed. Isn't it enough that your aunt gave you so many gifts on a daily basis? Besides, this time I captured two Xiliang spies and got 500 Xiliang stallions. Miao Jin contributed to that, so I brought her into the palace."

Dou Jinzhao knew that the person who seduced Dou Miaojin to elope was the Prince of Xiliang. According to the course of events in her previous life, Dou Miaojin should have returned to Xiliang with this man instead of using Lu Changyuan to kill the Prince.

What happened in the end?

Dou Jinzhao looked straight at Lu Changyuan, "The Duke came back three days ago, I think everyone in the capital knows about it, but I just found out today.

The Duke also knew that it was a red mandarin duck tent, something that would only be used at a wedding. Did the Duke plan to use the red mandarin duck tent with my second sister? What was the Duke's plan? To take a concubine, or to divorce his wife and remarry? Have you discussed this with the Dou family? Could the Duke reveal a few things in advance so that I can be prepared? "

Lu Changyuan frowned and said in a calm voice, "Jinzhao, even if I want to marry Miaojin, it's not a big deal. In this city, who doesn't have three wives and four concubines?"

Dou Jinzhao closed his eyes, tears rolling down his cheeks, "Lu Changyuan, how did we end up like this?"

They were engaged since birth and had been childhood sweethearts for many years. They had also been a loving couple in their previous life. Before Dou Miaojin came back, Lu Changyuan was very doting on her.

Lu Changyuan didn't expect her to cry. For a moment, his heart softened a little. He sat closer and raised his hand to wipe her tears. "Jinzhao, what did you say?"

"nothing!"

Dou Jinzhao avoided his hand and suddenly became deflated. For the rest of the journey, neither of them spoke again.

The carriage entered from the corner gate of Duke Dingguo's Mansion and stopped in front of the hanging flower gate. Lu Changyuan was going to send her to the backyard, but when he saw that she didn't even look at him, he simply let go of her hand and went to the front yard.

Dou Jinzhao was relieved when he saw that he did not follow.

In this life, it is impossible for her to consummate her marriage with Lu Changyuan.

When she returned to the courtyard and sat down, Qiu Shui came in and whispered, "Madam, the Duke has returned home. I don't know where that bitch Hongying got the news from, so she went to the front yard."

Hongying is Lu Changyuan's concubine and has been serving Lu Changyuan since she was a child. Although she is not called concubine, she relies on the years of affection between them and is quite arrogant.

It is conceivable how fierce the battle between the two will be tonight, as the long drought is finally over.

Tomorrow morning, I'm afraid the whole mansion will spread the news that the Duke asked for water several times last night.

Luoxia witnessed everything in the palace today and knew that Dou Jinzhao was already in a bad mood. She said disdainfully, "Who cares about her! No matter what, it's just a matter of a bowl of contraceptive soup tomorrow morning. It's just a thing to serve people. Why should I care about her, sister?"

Qiu Shui turned around quickly and said, "I'll ask someone to prepare the contraceptive soup right away."

Dou Jinzhao stopped him, "No need."

"Ah?" Qiu Shui didn't understand. "Madam, do you mean to let that little bitch get pregnant with a concubine's eldest son?"

She hadn't finished her words yet, and the Madam and the Duke had not yet consummated their marriage.

Dou Jinzhao said, "Hmm," and said, "Ask the kitchen to send a bowl of black chicken and angelica soup to Hongying tomorrow morning. From now on, anyone in this mansion who serves the Duke will follow this rule and have the money deducted from my monthly salary."